


A Moment in Time

by tirsynni



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: M/M, Male Sheik, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 11:14:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6372529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tirsynni/pseuds/tirsynni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link was warned countless times not to underestimate the flow of time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Moment in Time

**Author's Note:**

> A transfer from lj.

Seven years had passed.   
  
Link tried not to think about it too much.  
  
One princess – wise and fair – had warned him of the dangers of time travel, how it had the ability to destroy one’s mind.  
  
One mage who liked to randomly disappear and then poke Link with a stick informed Link that his mind’s ability to withstand time travel was what made him the Hero of Time, as opposed to just a Hero. Even he warned, though, to not push his luck.  
  
Link didn’t obey much (“Don’t touch that!” “Don’t go in there!” “Didn’t you notice the word ‘Forbidden’ in the name, idiot?”) but he obeyed that. He knew enough.  
  
He needed to leave for seven years, until the destined path had played out. Then he could return home.  
  
Epona quietly drank from the lake while Link stretched out on the bank beside her. He didn’t wonder how long ago he had returned to the past. He didn’t think about meeting people for the first time in years when only days had passed for them.  
  
Link closed his eyes and held his Ocarina to his lips. He was home. He could rest. It was enough.  
  
Link’s sword was out and he was on his feet before Epona had time to begin her warning neigh. The stranger froze, Link’s blade at his throat. His hands were empty and limp at his side.  
  
“Link?” Sheik whispered, confusion and wonder and happiness whirling in his vibrant ruby eyes.  
  
Epona snorted beside Link. She still had no clue who this strange man was.  
  
Link…  
  
Link hadn’t let himself think about this, either.  
  
Link broke the golden rule of warriors everywhere: he dropped his sword.  
  
“Sheik?” he whispered, and his voice was rough, throat raw. His only companion in – days? weeks? – had been Epona, and there was no need for words between them.  
  
Sheik stepped closer. His eyes grew clearer. “You’re not my Link, are you?” he asked quietly, and everything grew still. Link stared at him, not understanding.  
  
That hurt. It hurt more than arrows and teeth and blades. And to make it worse, he still didn’t understand Sheik’s question.  
  
“Was I ever anything else?” he asked, bewildered. Now his throat hurt for other reasons. Link quietly knelt and picked up his sword.   
  
He was told to not think about time travel, but maybe he should have remembered this lesson:  
  
Some things you can’t get back.  
  
Link slid his sword back into its sheathe and turned back to Epona. The bank was a bad place to rest. He should have known better. Malon would be happy to see Epona, and he could sleep in the safety of the stable. Even if Link didn’t always understand her, she always seemed to understand him when it counted.  
  
“Link!” It was the desperation more than his name that made Link turn around. Sheik’s hand was outstretched like he could physically hold him in place if need be. The desperation in his voice shone in his red eyes. “Don’t leave again.”  
  
Link stared quietly at him. For Sheik, it had been days (weeks?) since he had seen Link. Link hadn’t seen him in seven years.  
  
Link took a step forward. “I’m your Link,” he said quietly.  
  
Because that had never changed.  
  
Sheik took a step forward and grabbed Link’s hand. Link squeezed, feeling the strength in Sheik’s deceptively slender hand.  
  
Just because he tried not to think about things didn’t mean he forgot.  
  
Some things were timeless, after all.


End file.
